Bifenthrin Fatality in a Canine: A Case Report with Postmortem Concentrations

J Anal Toxicol. 2019 Jan 1;43(1):72-78. doi: 10.1093/jat/bky046.

Abstract

A case of canine intoxication and fatality with the pyrethroid insecticide bifenthrin is described. A 5-year-old female spayed Pit Bull Terrier was off leash and unsupervised at home for 15-20 min prior to discovery by her owner. The patient was in lateral recumbency, having what the owner described as a seizure. The patient was transported to an emergency veterinary hospital where she presented with tachycardia, tachypnea and intractable tremors/seizures. Despite aggressive medical intervention, the patient went into respiratory and cardiac arrest and died at 28 h after presentation. A postmortem liver sample screened positive for bifenthrin by gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS). During the screening procedure, four additional bifenthrin-metabolic products were also observed. Concentrations for bifenthrin were determined for fat, kidney, liver and urine by GC-MS-MS. This is the first reported case of a canine fatality resulting from bifenthrin.

Publication types

  • Case Reports

MeSH terms

  • Animals
  • Dog Diseases / chemically induced*
  • Dog Diseases / diagnosis
  • Dog Diseases / metabolism
  • Dogs
  • Fatal Outcome
  • Female
  • Forensic Toxicology
  • Gas Chromatography-Mass Spectrometry / veterinary
  • Insecticides / metabolism
  • Insecticides / poisoning*
  • Liver / metabolism
  • Neurotoxicity Syndromes / diagnosis
  • Neurotoxicity Syndromes / etiology
  • Neurotoxicity Syndromes / metabolism
  • Neurotoxicity Syndromes / veterinary*
  • Pyrethrins / metabolism
  • Pyrethrins / poisoning*
  • Seizures / chemically induced
  • Seizures / diagnosis
  • Seizures / veterinary
  • Tachycardia / chemically induced
  • Tachycardia / diagnosis
  • Tachycardia / veterinary
  • Tachypnea / chemically induced
  • Tachypnea / diagnosis
  • Tachypnea / veterinary
  • Tandem Mass Spectrometry / veterinary
  • Tissue Distribution
  • Veterinary Medicine

Substances

  • Insecticides
  • Pyrethrins
  • bifenthrin